When Will Fireworks and Nighttime Shows Come Back to Disney World?
The fireworks shows and nighttime spectaculars in Walt Disney World are one of the things that makes it so magical and keeps us coming back again and again. When the parks first reopened there were no nighttime spectaculars, but now the fireworks are officially back!
There is nothing better than finishing off a long day at the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT than finding a spot to enjoy the fireworks show. So that's why in a year full of changes, not having firework shows running in the parks might have been the hardest change of all to accept in the parks.
It doesn't matter if you are going to the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom, the nighttime spectaculars are one of the main attractions in the theme parks.
When will fireworks shows return to Disney World?
Thankfully, we have some good news as the fireworks came back to Walt Disney World starting July 1!
In this post, we will go over why nighttime spectaculars were stopped in Walt Disney World, and what to expect now that they are back again. We'll also update you with any info that comes out so you can best plan your next trip.
Before we get started, read our post on Disney World Reopening FAQs to learn about all the new changes in the parks you need to know about.
Also, don't forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. We will update you as soon as we know when the nighttime spectaculars are coming back to the parks, and share the latest vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!
Table of Contents
(UPDATE) Fireworks Return to Disney World
After over a year of waiting, fireworks finally returned to Walt Disney World on July 1.
Fireworks shows at two of the Disney World theme parks are currently running with nightly performances of "Happily Ever After" at Disney's Magic Kingdom and "EPCOT Forever" at EPCOT.
Originally, this news started out as a rumor recently with some cast members claiming that fireworks will be back in the parks by the 4th of July. It turns out those rumors were true and Disney then made the announcement about getting fireworks again.
This was ideal since the 4th of July is one of the biggest days of the year for fireworks and not having them two years in a row would have been almost unthinkable. Disney usually runs a special show for the 4th of July as a tribute to the holiday so it's something many guests look forward to.
Disney recently made an announcement about 'Wonderful World of Animation', one of the nighttime spectaculars returning to Hollywood Studios. There are still no dates for 'Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular' or 'Fantasmic!'
There may not be enough demand right away to support all three shows running at Hollywood Studios. Also, the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT are more known for their fireworks extravaganzas, and Disney wanted to have them going in time for the 4th.
On the 4th both Happily Ever After and EPCOT Forever finished with special holiday endings.
This news really lets guests know that Disney World is back and even with a few safety guidelines still in place, it's becoming more like the normal vacation experience guests are used to.
We'll keep you updated on the latest info about fireworks at Disney World as soon as more announcements are made. Stay tuned. In the meantime, you can read our original article below about fireworks coming back.
Which Fireworks and Nighttime Spectaculars are Running in Disney World?
Currently, there are TWO fireworks shows and 3 nighttime spectaculars running in Walt Disney World. Every nighttime spectacular had been canceled, but starting July 1, 2021, they are back.
Here is a list of the shows from all 4 Disney World theme parks that are not running and the dates they are coming back:
Magic Kingdom:
- Happily Ever After (Now Running through September 29)
- Disney Enchantment (Debuting October 1)
- Once Upon a Time Projection Show (Not Currently Running)
- Electrical Water Pageant (Runs Nightly, not really in the Magic Kingdom, but close enough)
EPCOT:
- EPCOT Forever (Permanently Closed)
- Disney Harmonious (Debuting September 29)
Hollywood Studios:
- Disney Movie Magic (Not Currently Running)
- Fantasmic! (Not Currently Running)
- Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular (Not Currently Running)
- Wonderful World of Animation (Runs Nightly)
Animal Kingdom:
- Rivers of Light: We Are One (Closed Permanently)
Fireworks Times
Here are the listed Disney World fireworks scheduled for September/October:
- Disney Enchantment at Disney's Magic Kingdom - 8:00 pm (9:00 pm for the first few showings)
- Disney Harmonious at EPCOT - 9:45 pm
- Wonderful World of Animation at Disney's Hollywood Studios - 9:00 pm
- Happily Ever After at Disney's Magic Kingdom - 8:15 pm
- EPCOT Forever at EPCOT - 9:00 pm (through September 28)
Both fireworks shows will run nightly, seven days a week.
Why did Disney World Suspend Firework Shows?
It's important to note that during The Walt Disney World reopening phase, the theme parks are without many of the experiences you are familiar with. This includes not offering a full lineup of attractions, shows, or restaurants. Fireworks and nighttime spectaculars have also not been running until now.
Why did Disney originally decide to not bring them back even though the parks were open? There are two real reasons behind this thinking.
The first is safety-related. Obviously, when guests watch the fireworks, they are huddled together closely either in front of Cinderella Castle, the Chinese Theater or around World Showcase Lagoon.
Because of the current health crisis, Disney implemented many new guidelines including physical distancing between guests while in the parks, and that could not be achieved during a fireworks show.
This is now less of a problem now however since local health authorities have adjusted and eased up on COVID restrictions. Disney has thus followed, relaxing guidelines and no longer requiring 6 feet between guests.
Theoretically, Disney could have marked off sections in front of the castle, for example, to keep groups separate. But would guests have respected those borders? Probably not.
When the restriction was 6 feet you wouldn't have been able to fit many people in that space. Thankfully that is less of a concern now.
Distancing is the same reason why there are no parades at this time in Disney World, and instead, they have set up the new Character Cavalcades. They don't want too many people gathering together in one place. Look for this to also change in the coming weeks.
The second reason they weren't running nighttime spectaculars right away is the cost. Let's face it, attendance in Walt Disney World has been at an all-time low for the majority of the year. Fireworks shows, in particular, take A LOT of money to put on every night, money that Disney doesn't want to spend at the moment.
Costs include not only the fireworks themselves, but crews of people needed to run the show, and think of how many cast members they would need to run crowd control.
It's one thing when the parks are full and the company is flush with cash, but when they are just barely turning a profit, fireworks would be an unnecessary expense. In order to make it worth it for Disney, there needs to be more guests in the parks.
With so many other attractions, restaurants, and experiences already needing modifications to run, Disney just decided it was better to cancel the shows for now instead of trying to figure out some complicated solution.
Thankfully, this is resolving itself. There has been a dramatic increase in guests at Walt Disney World since the spring and the strong attendance has continued into the summer. Future bookings are also up and we expect crowds for the 50th Anniversary to be almost at normal levels.
Disney has not tried to enforce any distancing between guests with the fireworks shows back, and we don't expect them to moving forward, so if that makes you nervous you may still want to avoid the fireworks shows for now.
When Will Fireworks and Nighttime Shows Come Back to Disney World?
As we stated earlier, Disney is bringing the fireworks back to the parks on July 1, 2021. Guests can expect nightly shows of "Happily Ever After" at Disney's Magic Kingdom and "EPCOT Forever" at EPCOT.
Guests have started coming back in larger numbers and health restrictions have eased making it possible to have nighttime spectaculars once again.
We should also see a big crowd boost from now through the end of the Summer and then picking up even more in October for the 50th Anniversary and into the holiday season.
More and more people are starting to come around to the idea that Disney World is safe again, and guests who were afraid of traveling, or who didn't want to spend the money right now are booking trips. With each passing week it is getting back to the normal Disney World vacation experience we all know and love and things are picking up for the second half of the year.
With guests returning to the parks in almost-normal numbers, Disney will be willing to spend the money to put on fireworks shows. Last year was critical as thousands of Cast Members were let go last year, and there were $900 million in budget cuts on new attractions. Disney is still trying to save money, but they aren't quite as constrained now.
It's also possible that with this announcement that fireworks shows are coming back to the parks, it will bring in more guests and make them feel like the experience is once again "worth it."
We've had signs that we were close to seeing fireworks coming back for some time now as Disney has been testing them in EPCOT recently, for the new nighttime spectacular 'Disney Harmonious'. This new show is debuting October 1 along with a new show at the Magic Kingdom, 'Disney Enchantment.'
Attraction queues are getting back to normal again, and park capacity too. All of this makes sense financially to bring back the fireworks shows.
With the latest announcement of fireworks coming back in July, this is one of the best things we've heard in months. At least now if you visit sometime in 2021 you will get to see them and they will be in time for Disney World's 50th Anniversary celebration. This is going to get you a better bang for your buck, something that hasn't been true since last year.
For more information on planning your vacation to Walt Disney World here are two of our most useful posts:
Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about the Disney World fireworks returning...
- Does this change your mind about visiting Walt Disney World?
- What do you think of the new fireworks shows?
Let us know in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you'd share it with others via social media. I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂
My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.
Back in February (seems like years ago) I was overjoyed to schedule the very first Disney trip for my family. Would be my kids first time to go (ages 7, 10, and 12). I've only been 2 other times. Originally it was scheduled for May...BUST...then moved to September... I ended up cancelling that date, too. Not because I am concerned with catching Covid, but there was no way I was going to spend that much money on my kids first Disney trip in which we were forced to wear masks outside, in Florida heat all day long, but also no fireworks, no parades, no character meet-and-greets, no shows, etc... Thankfully I was smart enough not to tell them we were going, as it was going to be a surprise, but it kills me to finally have the funds to do this awesome trip and there's no telling when it will be worth it again. All these things are a part of the Disney experience and unless they charge way less while all this is happening then the trip will have to wait. Thank you so much for consistently keeping this site update. It's depressing, but your info has been a Disney lifeline, so to speak, this year.
Hi Rick, thanks for commenting. I love to hear stories from my readers and that I've been able to help you in the little way that I can with my site. I hope you get to go soon and I agree with you it's better to wait right now and not spend all that money on an experience that is not 100%
I am fine with no fireworks ... in fact will be visiting Disney next week. So excited to be back at the parks
Hi Susan. That's good to hear and it is nice to be back at the parks. Do you get to visit often or once every few years?
We have visited Disney from the UK every year since 2012. Our family has grown over the years from it being just my wife and I, to now including a 5 year old, and a 6 month old. We booked our vacation to Disney in January 2020 (yes, before our second son was born,) and were supposed to be there for Halloween + 14 days after. Obviously we couldn't go as there were no flights from the UK. I feel a bit aggrieved that Disney are putting their prices up every year regardless of what is happening in the word economy (or the exchange rate for that matter,) and seem to be out of touch with reality. The problem is families like ours (and we know a lot of families that think the same as us) feel that Disney is now just too expensive and without the parades, fireworks, meet and greet etc, it just doesn't make sense to visit. (If we could).
As we have already booked this vacation we can re-schedule free of charge, so we have provisionally amended our dates to April 2021. (we are the eternal optimists,) but we can amend the dates again if need be. We will be very hard pressed to decide what to do in April if there still aren't any fireworks or meet and greet. Either way, if Disney keep putting their prices up like they have (car parking included) it could be our last vacation to Florida.
I think leaving ur pro tech in a cold u got to take classes and train harder for this job even if they offered them a temporary job why take them down to off or more than half what they made .
Yes it kinda does make me want to change my mind on visiting alittle bit I understand they have a park to run but at the same time think of those who make u that money to they have responsibility living pay check to pay check . We love Disney but very disappointed how they are treating there employees in general the ones who make that money for disney .
No fireworks...no meet and greet.....wearing masks in the heat.......I see no reason to go again with the prices rising and the experiences diminished. So sad to see.
@Carly,
I agree.
I understand but the fireworks and parade are what makes the magic so wouldn’t want to go without it
My name is Cathy and I have dreamed of my grand daughters first trip to Disney since she was born 5 years ago... and we booked our trip almost one year prior to planned trip - then Covid hit and with all the changes, we cancelled our trip that was scheduled for Oct. 30-Nov, 7, 2020. All the "special events" that I dreamed of for her were gone (yes, I do understand that she wouldn't have even known about Fireworks, parades, meet & greets, etc) and the real kicker was that Disney was not even offering any compensation for everything "taken away" from the trip - Meal plans were also cancelled, their are no fast passes, restaurants closed, etc
I re-booked for April, 2021 but at the rate that they are going, we will most likely cancel that trip as well!
What's the old saying, "you have to spend money to make money"
We were planning a trip with 14 people in April 2021 ... but we were looking forward to the firework show and may not go because there are none .... do you think they will have them going again late April??
We were thinking about booking a weeks stay in late April but given the construction in Epcot and no fireworks we are now not sure if that is a wise move. Limited to no pricing discounts even though the true experience has been “discounted”. Having fireworks would at least bring things a bit back to normal. All this said I do understand the reasoning behind the suspension.
I was booking a trip for my daughters birthday. They are turning 5 ! But Epcot is under construction, no fireworks and no princess meet and greet at the castle. It will just not be worth it
I have a set of twins and I definitely won’t bring them until we have parades and fireworks. I’m a single mom and I have one shot at bringing them !
I've been a few times during the pandemic with adults, and a couple times with the kids. The first couple of times we went, we didn't care. We were so happy it was AT LEAST open... and more than happy to spend the money to contribute and do our part on helping get the world back up and going... but sadly, that sentiment has worn off, and we really need to get the happiest place on Earth back. We had a big family trip planned where it would've been several family members first trip to Disney and we were going to go all out. That trip has been postponed until everything comes back. Being there, and experiencing it, it's SO SAD. There's truly nothing magical... No Bibbidi Bobbidy boutique which is a huge deal, all salons across the world are open except in Disney World. If the girls can't meet their favorite princess, at least let them dress up as one. Also, no room service ANYWHERE which is probably the biggest major upset for us. I mean food is a basic stay requirement and it's been very difficult to come by so far, or incredibly inconvenient to get. Also, no safari treks, or animal encounters, or princess tea, or anything special all of which we were planning on doing. There's NO extras you can purchase at Disney right now, but besides that... you can't even get anything normal. Even the experience on the rides is diminished. It makes them faster which is nice, but definitely less magical. Like I said, we really need to get the happiest place on Earth back. One of our absolute favorite parts, of course, is the night time fireworks and random shows and performances that will suddenly break out in front of us. Thankfully my kids have all had several trips by now that they know the magic, and fell in love with it already. But, we live in Texas and have to pay for flights on top of the trips, and feel like we've done our part to support during the pandemic, but we deserve a better experience now, and we won't go back again until they can bring back at least more of the extras. It's got to start progressing forward from the bare bones that it is now before people start losing hope.
Dear Disney,
We have 3 children and 9 grandchildren and all have come to WDW on or around their fifth birthday. Our last grandchild turns five this year and it would be a WONDERFUL trip. We will not make the momentous vacation unless there are character meets , parades and fireworks. I know a lot depends on the BIG C. Hopefully C will cooperate along with the public. Please alert our family as soon as decisions are made so we may make the necessary arrangements as we want to stay on property this time and that will take advance reservations. Thanks for your time and considerations.
Disney Fan Grandad
You won't have many guest until u open the fireworks and parades. Just saying!!!!!! U have all these protestors out there neck to neck but yet we can't c fireworks or parades, don't make sense. If you don't feel comfortable, don't go period. Don't make sense to me, come on ppl get it together, without the fireworks u won't have customers!!! Wear ur Flippin masks!!!
Yet somehow 6 feet are kept while the parades stroll through.
We are long time park goers ND won't return before masks come off and fireworks and parades return.The difference between Disney and normal theme parks is the magic that once was created. I hate the buses leaving also because it gave you a chance to meet people from all over the world and a handed to wind down going back to the resorts. We have traveled from Texas as much as 3 to 4 times in a year to go with an annual pass and we hope the magic returns... we have closer theme parks but it was about the experience.... a world of its own.
We have been taking at least one week long trip to Disney every year since 1994. When Disney is Disney again--we will go again. We are not into wearing masks and social distancing. I expect to know that we will be able to ride the attractions that matter most to us without waiting in outrageous lines--so bring fast pass back please. I want character interactions, buffets, and shows. I want housekeeping service every day in my resort room for which I pay a ridiculous amount. I want timely transportation, If I had all that, I could do without fireworks and parades. After so many trips to Disney, we seldom stay to watch them anyway.
I am currently traveling home after a week at the Beach Club. A trip originally scheduled for last March. We are so glad we went but I doubt that we would’ve gone yet if our March trip had t been cancelled. It was my sons first trip, he’s 12, and I just couldn’t wait anymore. We were thrilled that masks were no longer required outside- it made a tone of difference! I was ok with the lack of fireworks, but was unexpectedly thrilled to see a test of the Epcot show from our room on June 7 around 11:30. I guess I will be very happy when they are back. This trip was about rides and food and we nailed it. Also the Skyliner is the BEST!!!
We had to cancel our trip to Disney in 2020 due to Covid. We are due to come over on 24th September 2021 for 3 weeks but there’s still nothing announced about opening an air corridor between the UK & USA. Due you think there’s a good chance that this year we’ll be able to come ? We’ve all had our 2 vaccinations
I have found that Disney has many of their resorts either partially or fully closed. I have tried to make reservations for this year several times to find that there are no rooms available.
Glad fireworks are back. Missed them on the last trip. Can't wait. ??
I understand that it was a safety issue and a financial issue not to have the fireworks and certain shows. However they were sorely missed. We were there the first week of April and even though we missed the fireworks etc and had to wear masks I must say that the amount of people there was perfect. I shudder to think the numbers will get back to normal. Much too crowded and Unenjoyable when at full capacity (from past experience )
There should be a limit to number of visitors allowed during normal times instead of trying to pack the place to make an astronomical profit!